Type-writing machine



(No Model.)

B. S. SHI-MER.

' TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

No. 576,904. Paten ed Peb. 9, 1897.

@itweooco ,1 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ELMER S. SHIMER, OF MILTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 576,904, dated February 9, 1897.

Application filed April 5,1895. Serial No. 544,614. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER S. SHIMER, of Milton, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-VVriting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in type-Writers in which the reciprocating paper-carriage travels on ball-bearings so constructed and arranged that the balls are subjected. to a constant spring force, whereby wabbling of the carriage is prevented and the friction reduced to a minimum.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing so much of a type-writer as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the stationary rail, the movable carriage-rail, and the tension-bar. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view showing one of the balls located in position between the pins, as when the carriage is at the extreme right of the machine ready to begin a line.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates the top plate of the frame of a type-writer of any suitable construction; 2, the rectangular paper-carriage; 3, the paperroll journaled in the ends of said frame and provided with a ratchet 4, with which engages a pawl 5, connected with a lever 6, by which the roll is rotated to move the paper-roll and form the line of spaces.

The numeral 7 designates the type-ring, 8 the pivoted type-bars, and 9 the vertical bars, which actuate the type-bars by depressing suitable keys (not shown) with which they are connected. Located in rear of the papercarriage and secured to the top plate 1 is a stationary rail or bar 10, formed with a groove on its rear side extending from end to end thereof, the top and bottom edges of which are made convex, forming curved bearings 11. The lower edge of the rail is also formed with a lip 12. Secured to the rear side of the paper-carriage are two arms 13, which are pivoted at their ends to blocks 14, secured to a rail 15, which moves in unison with the car riage. This rail'is grooved on its front and rear faces, and the upper and lower edges are convexed, forming curved bearings 16, similar to bearings11. The rail at its upper edges is formed with a lip or flange 17. Located in rear of the rail 15 is an adjustable tensionbar 18, of spring metal, formed near each end with a head'19, in which is a slot 20. Setscrews 21 pass through these slots and engage with apertures in thetop plate 1. This tension-bar, like the rails 11 and 15, is also formed with a groove having its edges convexed to form curved bearing-surfaces 23.

Seated between the stationary rail and the carriage-rail, near each end thereof, are two balls or spheres 24,which are located and confinedin place by pins 25 on said rails. A single ball or sphere 26 is interposed between the carriage-rail and the tension-bar and is located at or about the middle thereof, so

that it will occupy a central position with re" spect to the other balls. Pins 27 on the said rail and bar and similar to the pins 25 serve to locate the ball and confine it in the grooves. The location and arrangement of the said balls, as described, that is to say, with the single ball occupying a position intermediate the other two balls, is a very important feature, as the tension-bar pressing against said single ball with a constant force produces the proper degree of tension between the balls and the movable carriage-rail.

The operation will be readily understood. The tension-bar is adjusted by means of the set-screws and slots, so as to regulate the pressure upon the balls,which will be accom plished by the resiliency of the said tensionbar. The carriage can now be moved back and forth, and by reason of the location of said single ball and the two balls with respect to each other the carriage-rail will be confined between the two balls under a springtension,which will prevent wabbling and the balls Workin g on the convex bearing-surf aces, and supported therebetween, at these points only, the friction will be greatly reduced.

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The pins 25 and 27 perform a very important object in centering theballs or causing them to assume their proper position. Should the balls from any cause become disarranged or out of proper position, the pins on the transverse or movable rail,when the carriage is moved to the extreme right to begin anew line of writing,will engage with the balls and move them into their proper places, so that at the beginning of the line the balls will always be between two pins on the stationary rail and tension-bar and the movable rail. (See detail view, Fig. 3.)

The pins in the stationary rail and tensionbar limit the movement of the balls to the right.

Vhile I have shown and described the tension-bar as being provided at each end with slots and set-screws, so that it may be adj usted toward or from the stationary rail, still this is not necessary, as the bar may be secured to the machine by screws passing through apertures therein, as the wear is so slight as to amount to practically nothing, so

that when the bar is once'secured in place it will not be necessary to secure its adjustment.

IIaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper-carriage and the rail connected therewith, of the balllocated on one side of said rail near the center thereof, and the balls at the other side of said rail near the ends, and said balls subjected to a constant spring-pressure; substantially as described.

2. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper carriage and the grooved rail connected therewith, of the stationary grooved rail, the grooved tension-bar, the ball located between said tension-bar and carriage-rail, about midway the length of the bar; and the balls located between the stationary rail and carriage-rails substantially as described.

3. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper carriage and the grooved rail connectedtherewith, of the stationary grooved rail, the grooved tension-bar, the ball located between said tension-bar and carriage-rail about midway the length of the bar; the balls located between the stationary rail and carriage-rails; and the pins secured to said bar and rails for confining and locating the balls, substantially as described.

4. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper carriage and the grooved rail connected therewith, of the sta tionary grooved rail, the grooved tension-bar, having a slot near each end, the ball located between said tension-bar and carriage-rail about midway the length of the bar; the balls located between the stationary rail and carriagerails; and the setscrews passing through the slots in the tension-bar and engaging with the top plate of the machine for adjustably securing the tension-bar in place, substantially as described.

5. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper-carriage, of the rail secured thereto; the stationary rail, and the tension-bar; said rails and bar being formed with grooves extending from end to end, and the upper and lower edges convexed to form curved bearings; and the balls seated in said grooves; substantially as described.

6. In a type-writer, the combination with the reciprocating paper-carriage, of the rail connected therewith; the stationary rail and the tension-bar, said rail and bar being formed with grooves having convex bearin g-surfaces the rails formed with lips or flanges; and the balls seated in said grooves; substantially as described.

111 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER S. SHIMER.

Vitnesses:

AUGUST PETERSON, BENNETT S. J ONES. 

